Put A Cork In It

When it comes to weight loss and alcohol, you’re better off if you put a cork in it and bypass the spirits if you’re going to drink more than one glass a day. One study shows that people who drink in moderation, no more than one glass of beer or wine, are actually thinner than those who don’t. The reason may be because it slows them down at meal time and allows them to reach the point of satiation before they finish their entire meal. That causes them to eat fewer calories and stay thinner.

While many calories from alcohol are wasted by the body, it can only waste so many.

For some reason, your body doesn’t process the calories in alcohol and some of them are wasted. But your body can only do so much. If you’re drinking several glasses of wine, hard liquor, beer or cute little umbrella drinks with every meal, these are empty calories that can add even double the amount of daily calories you intake if you have several drinks. You might never consider eating a Big Mac and large fries as part of your weight-loss program, but you might decide to have a Mai Tai or two with a meal. You’ll get more calories from two Mai Tais than you’d get from the Big Mac and fries. At 620 calories each, you’d be guzzling 1240 calories with the drinks and only 1040 calories with the burger and fries. That’s more than half a day’s worth of food in just two small drinks. Even Superman’s body couldn’t waste all those calories.

Wine is heart-healthy but enough is enough.

Many recent studies show that a glass of wine or beer each day can lower your risk of heart disease. However, if you’re drinking more than that, it actually increases the risk, a fact many sensational news stories often forget to mention. The older you are, the more good that one glass of wine does, particularly if you’re over 65 or already have existing heart disease. Those younger may not get nearly the benefit from the wine.

Consider the caloric intake of all drinks when you decide to imbibe.

Just like food, any drinks you consume add calories. If you want a glass of wine with your dinner, sip the wine slowly and enjoy the conversation with your dinner mate. When the food comes, eat just as slowly, savoring the flavor of each bite. You’ll not only enjoy your meal and drink more, you’ll also find that you eat far less and get the most out of every bite. Always remember, no matter whether it’s food or drink, make sure you take the time to really taste the food or drink and enjoy the flavor. Not only will it help you lose weight, it will make your life more sensual and pleasurable.

No matter what study you read, it shows that adding wine or alcohol to your diet doesn’t always have health benefits if you don’t already drink. It’s better not to start and limit your intake if you already consume alcohol on a regular basis.

While only a small amount of the calories from alcohol are converted to fat, the rest are changed to acetate in the liver. It keeps the alcohol safe for human consumption and prevents it from poisoning the body. However, it does slow down the metabolism of fat, making weight loss more difficult.

If you do drink, check the calorie count of the drinks first. Savoring a small glass of chardonnay with a meal only adds 90 calories, while cute little umbrella drinks may be an entire meal’s worth of calories.

No matter what you consume, food or drink, moderation is the key. You can often eat your favorite foods and still lose weight if you eat with moderation.